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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wake · cue · board · calf · chair · present · arm · dip

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. cue — for pool
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. present — a gift
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. cue — a signal
  10. cue — a hint
  11. wake — a trail
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. present — there
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. board — to get on
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. chair — a leader
  21. board — a committee
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. present — the time now
  24. wake — before a funeral

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com